The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-26
! CURIOUS mUnDnR CASE
rR.,s,rs why q Fnrden beard is Asked -
change q Jury's Verdict.

Heascns why fnroce 1esre y N
Change Jury's Verdict.
HARR1spuRa, Pa., June 2S.-Wiliam Jo-
siah McMeens Of Port Royal. Juniata county.
was convicted in April, 1886, at Mimtntown, OF
tho murder Of his wife. Nancy mcmeene ne
was sentenced to be hanged. HIS case was
carried to the Supreme Court That tribunal
refused to order rearGument, and tho day Of
execution was fixed for April 20. 1887. His
counsel obtained respite to June IS for the
purpose Of carrying tho case to the Board OF
Pardons Tho Board postponed hearing In
the case until It's juno meeting. Asthat meet-
ing would not be held until to-day. two days
before tho day OF execution, Gov Beaver grant
cd another respite until July7. The case was
presented to tho Board to-day by George ..
Jacobs and B. +. Junkin OF McMeenss counsel.
IL IA one OF the most peculiar criminal cases
on the records OF tho Pennsylvania courts.
MoMeens Is 40 years OF age. In the carly part
OF 1885 he was married to Nancy Morst, ayounR
widow living. in Port Royal. On the morning OF
March 1886, McMeens went into Banks's drug
store in Patterson, o village mile and half
from Port Royal. and bought twelve grains OF
strychnne The drug was placed In small
envelope, which the druggist labelled - Fol
son." and wrapped in another paper. Mo.
Mems took an envelope from his pocket; put
shs mns SisSdn It's vile
Once few %nStsS ta Mr ThS
Mems sS came on mt to HARRISBURG About O'clock
ss n01 sss 10MSR%Hs ns saiS 9si
8 sss AK ~ %ss;ss
able to give any explanation Of her illness IN
and q paper containing q. white powder. On
the spoon end knife were traces q 1eLy AZ
herring to the jey were parSdIo fbe al noWde e
ths Say Of d Mr. a MeMssns e
a fss1a Ts''ffe' S
and told him his wife was dead; On 2, be- be.
I fMS hsre s sa SesS Il as
tod 2rst that be had heard 81 Ills Eiiss death
Soarh so poson On tse se
SSPs VIZ. ii rats 4 to hs vSsh
seGuentiy identified as the one the Patterson S
but the envelope labelled Poison" was not
found 50 far as was known At the time; at h0-
poison were found. and McMeens was arrested
Juniata County Court. Dwight Mead OF Har-
risburg swore that at 8 O'Clock on the morning
OF Mrs. McMeans's death McMeans had told
him that his wife was dead hours before the
news could have reached HarftksbusE :M. The
had taken the poison labelled envelope from
the strychnine. DESTROYED 1t, and sent the pol
son to his wife as quinine. A. sister OF MO-
Mems, however, swore that she had found the
envelope with the poison warning On n her
died, but had Burned it. The theory Of the Do.
fence was that the strychnine had been bought
by McMeens. at his wife's request. to destroy
rats, which were very troublesome at tho
house. and that she had taken the drug by
mistake. Mrs. McMeens's request for the pol
son was proved by several witnesses. Tho
The grounds on which the Board Of Pardons
are asked to interfere and save NC Meens from
the gallows are an affidavit Of Dwight Mead,
whose testimony they declare alone convicted
the prisoner: that his testimony was not cor
rect but het 70 SSoGs noon when Ma
o'clock IN the morning. as he swore, This
affidavit was obtained on the strength OF q
confession mado by one OF the lawyers, who was
engaged in the prosecution Of McMeens. that
Mead, whom approached Us to what his testi-
mony would be. had originally said that II was
his wife was dead, but that Mead,s wife had
to the 0 O'Clock statement, the lawyer said, 1t
WAS surprise to the prosecution. One OF tho
jurors also makes AFFIDAVIT that he ana two
others were induced to agree to verdict Of
evidence alleged to have been given which had
not:
given this week.